August 17, 2011

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Hourglass was a fantastic and unique read. I have never read anything quite like it. It is filled with so many twists and turns that you could never predict would happen. This helped to keep the story going at a nice pace. You would just be cruising along then BAM a twist here and BAM a turn there. Maybe not so dramatic, aside from an occasion or two. What really surprised my was the fact that it was a Sci-Fi novel. The synopsis is very deceiving and tricky, but it surely helps with that surprise factor. You go into the story with the same mindset as Emerson, and you figure out the real story along with her.

I love Emerson. She was a brilliant protagonist for this story, and McEntire has put along of essence into her. She has so much substance and is a well thought out character. Emerson has been through a hell of her own, and the experiences have left her fragile in a way, but so much stronger as well. You need to read the book to really understand what I mean there, she has learnt how to deal in difficult situations but there are the times when she breaks just a little. But Emerson's wit and sarcasm added so much humour to the story, and you will definitely find yourself laughing throughout the entire story.

I truly admire the relationship that Emerson and her brother, Thomas, share. It is evident that they really love and care for each other, and to be honest it makes me a little jealous of the relationship I have with my brother! It is inspiring how much they care for each other and do whatever it takes to look after each other. You could definitely see that Thomas is stuck between the role of brother and father, as he has ben responsible for her since their parents death. This just made their relationship more realistic and believable. I also loved Dru, Thomas' wife. She was so understanding and kind and a lovely personality that Emerson really needed in her life.

When it comes to Emerson's love interest, I got a bit annoyed. I will admit, Michael is gorgeous and lovable, and they had such strong chemistry. Michael has been hired by Emerson's brother to help her out with her 'problem' which means that their relationship must be kept as strictly professional *sigh*. This is what frustrating, as there was so much tension but nothing could be done about it.

McEntire did a magnificent job when it came down to the technical and sci-fi areas in the novel. They were executed with perfection, leaving no room for confusion for the reader. I won't spoil all of the good bits, but the truth behind Emerson's abilities were so unexpected and a great twist.

If you haven't read Hourglass, please do. The book was a breath of fresh air - I haven't read a book with so many surprises in a long time. A really wonderful read.

August 12, 2011

“Let’s talk crazy book titles! Highlight one or two (or as many as you like!) titles in your personal collection that have the most interesting titles! If you can’t find any, feel free to find one on the internet!”

I can't say that I have any particularly crazy-ass book titles but I do have a couple of strange or really long ones. Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time... Now tell me that that is not a mouth full. The Name of this Book is Secret is another fairly long one, and obviously quite different. It sure doesn't reveal anything about the story, apart from the fact that the supposed title is some huge secret!
Aside from these, two which I have read, how about ones that aren't on my shelf. There are definitely some crazy ones out there;

August 8, 2011

'His eyes sliced into me and the corners of his mouth tilted up. My heart fumbled a beat and, in that pause, a feeling of gloomy darkness seemed to slide like a shadow over me. It vanished in an instant, but I was still staring at him. His smile wasn't friendly. It was a smile that spelled trouble. With a promise.'

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora can't decide whether to fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is in the middle of a centuries-old battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and the wrong choice will cost her life.

Hush, Hush is a humorous and mysterious read. I really loved these two aspects of the story the most, and Becca Fitzpatrick managed to make the two work well together.

Out of the cast of characters, I wouldn't say that Nora was my favourite to be completely honest. I found Nora to be a bit contradictory and unable to make up her mind, which could get a bit annoying. Patch, the love interest is so mysterious and dark and probably my favourite character. His bad-boy personality is irresistible - both for Nora and the reader, which is another plus. His conversations with Nora bring light to his cheekiness, as he teases and flirts with her.

Vee, Nora's best friend, was definitely a lovable character for me - at least at the beginning. She comes out giggle-worthy one-liners whenever she pops up in the story, and it really brought her character to life. I found myself getting stares on the plane from my brother and a couple of strangers, for giggling to myself over a funny comeback of hers. However, as the story progressed, Vee became pretty reckless and selfish. She would party, and hang out with Elliott and Jules and rely on Nora to come to her rescue if things got out of hand, putting her in dangerous situations more than once.

Another great point for the story, is that I found Patch and Nora's relationship is believable and realistic. They would argue and contradict one another at every chance towards the beginning - showing Nora's initial dislike, but also hints towards some flirtation.

I borrowed Hush, Hush from a friend who did not enjoy reading it. I can say that I did enjoy Hush, Hush, the story was interesting and unique in comparison to other fallen angel stories. The characters weren't perfect, but they had substance. I will be looking forward to reading the sequel, Crescendo

August 2, 2011

Welcome little owlets, to the Little Book Owl. Here I will be posting book reviews, general thoughts of books I have read/will read/won’t read etc. I am not so great at introductions, so I will keep this short and sweet – I hope you enjoy your stay here and you find something useful.